The present invention relates to an automatic clothes washer and more particularly to a vertical axis washer.
Automatic washers are known which have a direct drive system between the motor and the agitator and wash basket and these washers require a clutch mechanism so that the washer will be able to operate in an agitate mode wherein the agitator is oscillated while the basket is held stationary, and in a water extraction mode wherein the agitator and basket are spun together. Typically the agitation is performed at a relatively low speed, with high torque, and the spinning occurs at high speed with low torque.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,465, a clutch mechanism for an automatic washer is disclosed which permits oscillatory motion of the agitator and results in rotary motion of the wash basket upon about 360° rotation of the agitator. This mechanism is disclosed in connection with a planetary drive wherein a first tang is carried on a planet carrier connected directly to the agitator and a second tang is carried on a ring gear connected directly to the wash basket. Engagement of the two tangs occurs upon sufficient rotary motion of the agitator wherein the basket tang will be picked up by the agitator tang causing the basket to rotate with the agitator. The wash basket is connected, via a spin tube, to co-rotate with the gear housing and when the basket is rotated, it is only in the high speed, low torque mode.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,573 a clutch mechanism for an automatic washer is disclosed which includes a first clutch member drivingly connected to the motor and a second clutch member drivingly connected to the wash basket and selectively axially actuable for driving engagement with the first clutch member. In this manner, the high speed motor rotation is provided directly to the wash basket for high speed rotation of the wash basket.
Oscillatory agitation by an agitator provides too much flexing force on certain clothes loads that should be washed utilizing a delicate or hand wash method. While it is known to use variable speed motors to provide a less forceful agitation, such motors are typically more expensive than fixed speed motors.
It would therefore be an improvement in the art if there were provided an arrangement for effecting a slow speed and low impact agitation with a fixed speed motor.